Puzzle or toy



jam 3, 19% f V 1,654,991

I "C. S. MUIR PUZZLE 0R TOY Filed Au 19. 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet l Jan. 3, 1928. 1,654,991

c. s. MUIR PUZZLE OR TOY Filed Au2.19. 1926 2 SheetsSheet 2 Patented Jan. 3, 1928.

Li NI D S T A TE S CHARLES S. MUTE, O1 CHEVY CHASE, MARYLAND.

ruzzrn on TOY.

Application filed August 19, 1926.

My invention relates to an improvement in puzzles or toys.

The object is to provide. a device of the character indicated which will be educational as well as amusing and entertaining, and one which will at the same time test the skill or the player. The device is educational in that it will tea'ch'tacts about the planetary system, such, for instance, as the fact now gene ally conceded that all of the planets originated in, and have been spun oii from, a central sun. A turtier object is to indicate the relative sizes and distances of these planets from the central sun.

The invention in its present form comprises a shallow box having a relatively large depression at or near the center, surrounded by other depressions of varying sizes and distances therefrom arranged to measure the relative distances and sizes of the planets in a solar system, these depressions being ditterently colored, and the planets represented by correspondingly colored and sized movable objects, such as balls or marbles, which are started from the central depression and adapted to be rolled into their corresponding depressions by the skillful manipulation of the device by the one who plays the game.

Besides the above, the game or puzzle may have printed on it important facts of astronomy, such as the distances of the planets from the sun, their orbits, etc.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan view showing the game or puzzle at the start;

Fig. 2 is asection on line 22 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 3 is a plan view showing the game or puzzle after the game has been completed and the movable objects have been located in th cir respective depresions or pockets; and

Fig. i is a section on line 4l of Fig. 3 looking in the direction of the arrows.

The numeral 1 represents a box, preterabliv shallow, and made of any suitable material, and which may be covered with glass, it desired, in order to keep the movable objects from being lost.

In the center, there is a relatively deep depression 2, which represents the position oi the sun; and the depressions in the order of their sizes are indicated by the numerals 3,

1 x g 4, 5, i l. 8, 9 and 10, and these repi esent the posit; and r sistive o planets .Fl

Serial No. 130,2i6.

the owing order:-l%lercury, the earth, Uranus, Neptune, Saturn and o upiter.

hose recesses will be colored dillerently, and the movable objects (such as balls or marbles) are correspondingly colored, and the are indicated l the numerals 3 4:, 5, CF, 9, and 10", in order to show their correspondence with the recesses that bear these nerals. These several recesses are connected by grooves, preferably curved, indicat' d by numerals 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 and 10", extending from the outer recesses to the center recess 2. These are curved to indicate the centrifugal action and the course of the planets as tiey are thrown from the sun.

In playing the game, the several movable objects, one for each of these planets, are placed in the central recess 2, that is to say at the sun, and when all together represent the sun, and the player by skillfully turning l tipping the device is able to direct the ano course of the various objects representing the planets 3 to 10 to their respective depressions, thus completing the game.

By means of this game or puzzle, children are taught facts about the planetary system, such for example as the fact that the planets originated and were spun oft from a central sun, the relative sizes of these planets, and their distance from the central sun. Thus in a very simple and inexpensive way the child is taughtthese facts while being interested and amused.

I claimi l. A device of the character described including a base having a plurality of depressions located at predetermined distances from a central depression, and movable objects adapted to be directed into their predetermined depressions, these various depressions arranged at distances from the central depression to correspond somewhat with the distances of: various planets from their sun, and of different sizes somewhat to correspond to the relative sizes of the various planets.

2. A device of the character described including a base having a plurality of depressions located at predetermined distances from a central depression, movable objects ad oted to be directed into their predeten depressions, these vain d are Y r v onus, liars,-

sions arranged. at distances from the central depression to correspond somewhat with the distances of various planets from their sun, and of different sizes somewhat to eorrespond to the relative sizes of the various planets, and grooves connecting the outer depressions with the central depression.

8. A device of the character described including a base having a plurality of depressions arranged about a central depression and connected thereto by grooves, said 'rooves being curved substantiall throu hout the lengths thereof, and being substantiallytanc cnt to said central depression.

4:. A device of the character described ineluding a base having a plurality of depre sions located at predetermined distances from a central depression, sald plurality of depressions being of ditlerent sizes from a each other, and movable objects of different sizes corresponding with the difiierent sized depresssions adapted to be directed into the different sized depressions 5. A device of the character describedineluding a base having a plurality of depressions located at predetermined. distances from a central depression'and communion t-ion therewith by longitudinal grooves, curved substantially throughout the lengths thereof, said plurality of depressions being arranged at distances from the central depressions substantially corresponding with the distances of the various planets from the sun, and being of difi'erentlsizes to substantially correspond with the relative sizes of the planets, and movable'objects of varying; sizes corresponding vwith the respective depressions andadapted to be directed thereinto. 7

In estimony whereof I aifiix my signature.

, CHARLES Main. 

